PHOTO GALLERY
There’s always some strange, interesting, beautiful or fun going on here at the Acre, so I carry a camera. Just in case.
Midday Traffic on the Sunflower Roundabout
You can tell these three bees are American left-hand drive bees because they're doing their pollen gathering counter-clockwise.
AROUND THE ACRE
Weathercam
Live camera shot facing west toward the Pacific Ocean, which is about 5 miles away.
Camera updates every 2 minutes.
→ Live Camera
→Wunderground
Weather Forcast
64°F
HOME & GARDEN
Tomatillo Time!
The tomatillos are practically throwing fruit at us. These are from some wild plants that reseed every year. Once they were either purple or green, but now they're all crossbred and just sort of do whatever they want. Still taste great!
A Rustic Steel and Cedar Window Box
Weekend project for under $20 inspiration: How about a stylish rustic window box planter made from a cheap cedar fence pickets and a piece of corrugated steel?
The Onion Harvest Rule
Grandpa always said "plant onions on the first day of spring, harvest them on the first day of fall." But here in the southwest, the first day of winter and summer are more like it.
Garden Path Refresh
I turned a drab wood walkway into a cool, colorful path through the tropical garden in a couple days for under $20. Here's how I did it.
Keyhole Garden Progress Update
It's been a month since I posted on the progress on my year round keyhole food garden so I thought now would be a good time for an update with a few photos.
A Kiwi Love Story
Common sense would tell you that plants don't have feelings, but I have a true story of a kiwi's love, loss and new life that might change your mind.
HOME & GARDEN
FOOD & RECIPES
Making Summer Pickles
If you love authentic dill pickles, there's nothing better or simpler to make than old fashioned deli-style summer pickles. This recipe dates back to 1900 and uses just a few spices and natural fermentation to make some of the best homemade pickles you'll ever taste. No refrigeration or fancy gadgets required.
Blackberry Jam Class of 2020
This year's "jam session" yielded about 3 gallons of blackberry and raspberry jam. We picked a little more than 20 lbs of fruit and used this foolproof recipe
Scallop Squash Stuffed with Pesto Chicken
We're up to our eyeballs in squash so I'm always looking for new ways to use it in meals. Here's an easy recipe for pesto chicken stuffed in baked squash that everyone seems to love.
FOOD & RECIPES
Making Summer Pickles
If you love authentic dill pickles, there's nothing better or simpler to make than old fashioned deli-style summer pickles. This recipe dates back to 1900 and uses just a few spices and natural fermentation to make some of the best homemade pickles you'll ever taste. No refrigeration or fancy gadgets required.
Blackberry Jam Class of 2020
This year's "jam session" yielded about 3 gallons of blackberry and raspberry jam. We picked a little more than 20 lbs of fruit and used this foolproof recipe
Scallop Squash Stuffed with Pesto Chicken
We're up to our eyeballs in squash so I'm always looking for new ways to use it in meals. Here's an easy recipe for pesto chicken stuffed in baked squash that everyone seems to love.
Real Smoked Beef Jerky Recipe
Homemade beef jerky hits a new high point when you add real smoke. Here's how you can smoke jerky even if you don't have a fancy smoker.
